title: Metabolic abnormalities in lobar and subcortical brain regions of abstinent polysubstance users: magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to explore neurometabolic and associated cognitive characteristics of patients with polysubstance use (PSU) in comparison with patients with predominant alcohol use using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brain metabolite concentrations were examined in lobar and subcortical brain regions of three age-matched groups: 1-month-abstinent alcohol-dependent PSU, 1-month-abstinent individuals dependent on alcohol alone (ALC) and light drinking controls (CON). Neuropsychological testing assessed cognitive function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While CON and ALC had similar metabolite levels, persistent metabolic abnormalities (primarily higher myo-inositol) were present in temporal gray matter, cerebellar vermis and lenticular nuclei of PSU. Moreover, lower cortical gray matter concentration of the neuronal marker N-acetylaspartate within PSU correlated with higher cocaine (but not alcohol) use quantities and with a reduced cognitive processing speed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These metabolite group differences reflect cellular/astroglial injury and/or dysfunction in alcohol-dependent PSU. Associations of other metabolite concentrations with neurocognitive performance suggest their functional relevance. The metabolic alterations in PSU may represent polydrug abuse biomarkers and/or potential targets for pharmacological and behavioral PSU-specific treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abé
authors.forename: Anderson
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mon
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hoefer
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Durazzo
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Pennington
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Dieter J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Meyerhoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000379:methods; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013695:Temperance; D055815:Young Adult